Mistral ships where are they. How did the Mistral story end for France? Amphibious capabilities of Mistral class ships

Mistrals in Egypt. Video

Egypt will sell Mistrals to Russia for a symbolic amount of one US dollar. The Mistral helicopter carriers, made in France, were originally intended for Russia. The order has already been completed according to the contract, and the devices were named “Sevastopol” and “Vladivostok”. However, Paris refused to transfer the helicopter carriers due to sanctions imposed on Russia and due to the deterioration of relations between Russia and Western countries. The fate of the Mistrals took a long time to decide, primarily because of their high cost; there was even talk of sinking the ships, however, in 2015, they unexpectedly found a buyer in Egypt. At that moment, many were surprised - why did this African country need powerful warships? The answer unexpectedly emerged this year.

Mistrals. Egypt. Multi-move

Today, the presenter of the Egyptian television channel SIS TV reported the following: « Egyptian billionaire Nassef Onsi Sawiris, who allocated funds for the country's purchase of French Mistral helicopter carriers and is actually their owner, decided to resell them to Russia for a symbolic price of $1. The issue of selling two ships to Russia has been agreed upon with Egyptian President Abdul Fattah Khalil Al-Sisi. This important step", aimed at bringing the two countries - Egypt and Russia - closer together, strengthening their cooperation and great friendship." There is an opinion that Egypt's initial purchase of Mistrals was authorized and sponsored by official Moscow.

The pearl of the French Navy, which was dubbed the “Swiss knife” for its versatility, should be sold to Russia in the amount of four pieces. Neighboring countries are worried.

"Mistral"

"Honor" and "Motherland". These two mottos are emblazoned on the deck of the ship. Standing on the captain's bridge, it seems that you are at the top of the tower. It is 200 meters long, weighs 21,000 tons, and despite this, it floats. This is the Mistral, France's largest warship after the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. One of the pearls of French navy, which makes countries seeking to gain influence and military authority turn pale with envy. The massive gray ship looks like a giant shoebox floating heavily on the waves. Sometimes its belly opens like the mouth of a whale and accepts boats and military equipment. It is so strong that it can carry 16 heavy helicopters, 4 landing barges and 70 Vehicle, including 13 Leclerc tanks. And also accommodate a crew of 650 people on board.

Its code name is BPC (from "batiment de projection et de commandement" - " landing ship-helicopter carrier"). It is also called the “Swiss knife”. Indeed, with a crew of 177 people, it can do anything. Land troops in a theater of military operations, transport battle tanks, be the location of an integrated command post, a means of intimidating pirates.. It is very mobile, has amphibious properties, and is equipped with a hospital on board: two operating rooms, 69 beds, an X-ray room and a tomograph. It is part of a “family” of three French helicopter carriers; the other two are the Tonnerre. ), which entered service in 2007, and is currently under construction and preparing to enter service with the "Dixmude".

In the command center with an area of ​​800 sq. m. computers are today connected to a secret NATO network, in preparation for upcoming NATO exercises in Denmark. In the combat compartment, giant screens show the situation at sea in the exercise area in real time. The controls on Mistral are so powerful that the ship can coordinate in real time the actions of large naval aviation forces involving several aircraft carriers.

It was these characteristics that aroused the Kremlin’s interest. The Russians, reforming their armed forces and wanting to expand the tactical capabilities of their fleet, want to buy four Mistral ships. The deck of the French amphibious assault ship is indeed strong enough to withstand the enormous weight of Russian helicopters. It is smaller in size than its American counterparts and less expensive. In the European market for amphibious helicopter carriers, the French ship has gained a leading position. Even the British do not have such a multifunctional warship. Invited to the Mistral on the occasion of the French Navy Day, the naval attaché at the Russian Embassy in Paris, Alexander Dryagin, wearing a round cap worn by Russian sailors, similar to an umbrella screwed to the head, holding a glass of champagne in his hand, which he finds “not strong enough” drink, nods his head. “We are very interested in the versatility of this ship. In Russia, we do not have a ship equipped with both a command center and a hospital. And if we want to build them ourselves, we will need twice as much time.”

For the French side, this sale will revive the shipyards in Saint-Nazaire, where one or two Mistrals can be built. They say that French Defense Minister Hervé Morin personally defended this project in conversations with the head of state. If the sale goes through, it will be the first such technology transfer by a NATO country to Russia. Both the Elysee Palace and the War Ministry are making a shocking argument: the Cold War is over, the “double standards” in relation to Moscow must be discarded, “Russia must be treated as a strategic partner and no longer seen as a threat.”

Not everyone was convinced by these arguments. Over the course of months, the Mistral even became a “ship of discord.” Russia's neighbors are concerned about the possible consequences for their security. “The Mistral is a strategic ship that will enhance Russia’s ability to conduct amphibious operations in the Black and Baltic Seas, as well as in more distant regions, all the way to Asia,” explains one French admiral. Russia's new military doctrine, published a few weeks ago, speaks of NATO expansion as one of the main threats to Russia.

Less than two years after the Georgian war of August 2008, when South Ossetia and Abkhazia still remain outside the control of Tbilisi, Georgia understands the French gesture all the less because Nicolas Sarkozy, who presided over the EU at the time, loudly claimed that he had prevented Russia from reaching the Georgian capital. From the point of view of Mikheil Saakashvili, the sale of Mistral is a “very risky” event. At the end of 2009, the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, Vladimir Vysotsky, commented on his country’s purchase of a French ship: such a ship would allow Black Sea Fleet win the war in Georgia in 2008 “in forty minutes instead of twenty-six hours.”

But Georgians are not the only ones worried. The Baltic countries were annexed by the USSR during World War II. They gained independence only in 1991, and Russian troops were withdrawn from there only three years later. "I'm not sure what the best way is to turn the page" cold war“This is trading in weapons from a hot war,” Latvian Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins said recently.

Even in Russia, the reaction to the Mistral purchase is ambiguous. "This issue has caused controversy in Moscow. Many military leaders would prefer to build helicopter carriers themselves," Marie Mendras, head of the policy planning group at the French Foreign Ministry, explained during a seminar recently organized by the Foundation strategic studies(FRS). This is a matter of national pride... The Mistral is huge, but very comfortable. He's very noticeable. It will be difficult to cover him. But, in the end, we had the money, but we didn’t have the technology to build it ourselves, so...”, says naval attache Alexander Dryagin, half-skeptically, half-submissively. But the case is not closed yet. March 25 The French Minister of Defense assured that the Mistrals would be delivered without military equipment. This is out of the question, responded Nikolai Makarov, the Chief of the Russian General Staff. He warned that his country would buy them “only in fully equipped form - with all the means.” control, navigation and weapons."

"Realpolitik"

In addition to economic and military interests, the sale of Mistrals has great political significance. Nicolas Sarkozy reminds that the West needs Russia to resolve international crises. Paris also wants to appease Russia, which is a major supplier of energy resources. “Some people want to restore a kind of “rear alliance”, similar to what took place between France and Russia in 1891 to prevent the German threat. This refers to “realpolitik”. But what can be done if it is carried out to the detriment of Georgia. Russia to us closer than China. We need to have long-term concepts for developing relations with it,” says one of the Navy officials who shares the pro-Russian choice of the Elysee Palace. "Mistral" in exchange for a toughening of the Kremlin's position on the Iranian nuclear dossier? Be that as it may, Dmitry Medvedev said, while in Paris in February, that the Mistral would become a “symbol of trust” between the two countries.

This approach is shared by some American leaders. US Defense Secretary Robert Gates officially announced his doubts about the sale of the Mistral to Russia during his recent visit to Paris. But he also said there was no problem from a military point of view and did not insist on his position. General James Jones, the US national security adviser, recently confirmed to Figaro that "there are no serious differences between France and the US" on this issue. “We ourselves have begun to actively warm our relations with Russia. Therefore, I do not think that this issue should cause us any great concern.” General Jones added that neither he nor President Obama raised the issue with Nicolas Sarkozy. Even NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen recently said that he considers it a “success” that the Mistrals will not be able to attack one of Russia’s neighbors...

Arriving at the White House, Obama promised to “reset” relations with Russia. The president's team needs the Kremlin to make progress on nuclear disarmament and encourage Moscow to approve tougher sanctions against Iran at the UN Security Council, where Russia has veto power. You have to pay for this. And Georgia could be the one paying. Dialogue with Moscow now seems to be more important than friendship with Tbilisi, where Washington's support is becoming less and less pronounced. As for the prospect of Georgia joining NATO, it is very remote.

Moscow remains a regional power

From this point of view, it is not very important that the French managed to achieve the construction of only one or two Mistrals in Saint-Nazaire... The rest will have to be assembled at the Northern Shipyard near St. Petersburg, owned by Russian billionaire To Sergei Pugachev, father of Alexander, the new owner of France Soir... It seems that all this was decided a long time ago, since France Soir spoke about this already in one of the articles published in the issue dated September 24, 2009, even before the release of its updated version ...

In the meantime, the controversial sale of the Mistral reminds countries in the region that militarily Moscow remains a regional power. The purchase of French ships will also allow Russia to increase its international authority. Marie Mendra warns: "It is not good to maintain the illusion of restoring Russia's zone of influence in its neighboring countries. These countries have always been attracted to the European Union, and they know that Russia will not be the guarantor of their security." On the contrary, she says, it will be necessary to "more boldly develop our relations with these countries and develop long-term concepts in this area."

Three years ago, France refused to transfer Mistral helicopter carriers to Russia in connection with the annexation of Crimea and the situation in eastern Ukraine. Having terminated the 2011 contract worth €1.2 billion, Paris returned previously supplied equipment to Moscow and paid a penalty in the amount of €949.7 million.

What about the Mistrals?

Helicopter carriers were purchased by Egypt. In June 2016, the Mistral was sent to Alexandria. They were given new names in honor of former Egyptian presidents. “Vladivostok” became “Gamal Abdel Nasser”, and “Sevastopol” became “Anwar Sadat”.

According to media reports, in 2018 the Mistrals received Active participation in an anti-terrorist operation against militants of the Islamic State banned in the Russian Federation in the north and central part of the Sinai Peninsula. On February 9, they took part in Operation Sinai 2018, supported by the Egyptian Ministry of Interior, in the Nile Delta and desert areas of western Egypt. In particular, special naval units were landed from the Mistrals to carry out operations to clear the coast in the El-Arish area.

Helicopter carriers are also used to conduct various joint military exercises. The helicopter carrier Gamal Abdel Nasser participated in naval military exercises together with units of Cyprus and Greece “Medusa-6”, and “Anwar Sadat” participated in the joint exercises of France and Egypt “Cleopatra-2018” in the Red Sea. During the exercises, the interaction of ground, air and naval forces during landing operations, joint actions to plan and manage offensive and defensive operations, as well as to detain ships in the event of their possible violation of territorial waters.

In addition to participating in joint and anti-terrorism operations, Egypt uses helicopter carriers to guard remote offshore gas fields, which are located more than 200 kilometers from the coast.

Government Russian Federation in 2008, it was extremely interested in acquiring French universal landing ships of the Mistral type. Unfortunately, due to the Ukrainian crisis, the deal had to be left only on paper, despite the fact that the ships had already been built.

What is Mistral?

The French-made ship is designed directly to carry aviation equipment, namely helicopters. The ship is also fully suitable for organizing landing operations.

As for technical characteristics, then the aircraft carrier can simultaneously contain:

• 16 helicopters;
• 70 units of military equipment;

Dimensions of the Mistral ship:

• The length is 199 meters;
• Width – 32 meters;
• The height of the flight deck from sea level is 27 meters;
• The draft of the ship with a displacement of 22.6 thousand tons is 6.42 meters;
• Maximum speed 18.5 knots;
• The ship's crew is 177 people;
• The number of passengers is 481 people.

An important fact is that a full-fledged naval hospital can be located on the ship. The Russian military, who visited one of the Mistrals, said that there is a full set of medical equipment - everything for dentistry, surgery, etc.

It is also worth noting the comfort inside the ship. Ordinary sailors are accommodated in 4-berth cabins with a bathroom and shower. Middle and lower rank officers live in double cabins. Senior officers are in single cabins.

The role of the Russian fleet

France and Russia began active negotiations on the supply of Mistral aircraft carriers back in 2009. At the same time, all the conditions of the future contract were achieved. Then they talked about building 4 ships. France was supposed to build two at its shipyards, and 2 more - already on the territory of the Russian Federation.

In 2012, the foundation was laid for the first Mistral class ship, it was named Vladivostok. A year later, construction of the second ship, Sevastopol, began. The total amount of the contract was estimated at 1.2 billion euros. These ships were to be sent to serve in the Pacific Fleet.

All construction took place according to plans, and nothing prevented Russia from receiving new ships on time. However, due to the situation in Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Federation, America and Great Britain began to demand that France stop the transfer of Mistrals.

The situation with the aircraft carriers was uncertain, but in July 2015 the French government announced the termination of the contract with Russia.

Mistral off the coast of Africa

Egypt showed great interest in the Mistral class ships. An agreement between Cairo and Paris was reached as quickly as possible. In June 2016, the aircraft carriers headed to Alexandria. It is worth noting that the two countries jointly conducted naval exercises with new vessels.

The Egyptian authorities came up with their own names for the two ships, naming them in honor of 2 former presidents.

Russia suffered no losses in this deal. The reason is simple - France developed the Mistral ships for Russian technology, so Cairo had to buy 50 helicopters from Moscow.

The origins of the Mistrals are known in great detail. Universal amphibious helicopter dock carriers, adopted by the French Navy in the amount of three units. Large ships with a total displacement of over 20 thousand tons with a continuous flight deck, a hangar for storing aircraft and an aft docking chamber for landing boats.

They are built on a modular basis in accordance with civil shipbuilding standards, which has a positive effect on reducing costs and accelerating the pace of their construction. The maximum duration of construction, taking into account all identified problems and inevitable delays, does not exceed 34 months. The cost of purchasing two ships under the “Russian contract” amounted to 1.2 billion euros, which corresponds to the cost of one amphibious transport dock ship of the San Antonio type (USA). Impressive.

The use of civil shipbuilding standards and technologies in the design of the UDC seems to be a justified decision - the concept of using the UDC does not imply direct participation in hostilities. High survivability, resistance to hydrodynamic shocks and combat damage, the presence of strike weapons - all these points do not apply to the Mistral.

The tasks of the ferry ship are:
— delivery of an expeditionary marine battalion to anywhere in the world;
— over-the-horizon landing of personnel and equipment in low-intensity conflicts using helicopters and amphibious assault vehicles;
— participation in humanitarian missions;
— performing the functions of a hospital ship and command post.

The combat information center on board the French "ferry" is equipped at the level of the cruiser's CIC.

How “French” is Mistral?

The Mistral UDCV project was born thanks to the efforts of the General Armaments Delegation (Délégation Générale pour l’Armement) and the French state defense company DCNS (Direction des Constructions Navales) with the involvement of a number of foreign contractors:
— Finnish Wärtsilä (marine diesel generators),
- Swedish branch of Rolls-Royce (Azipod-type steering columns),
— Polish Stocznia Remontowa de Gdańsk (blocks of the middle part of the hull forming a helicopter hangar).

Combat development information system and ship detection equipment was entrusted to the international industrial group Thales Group, a world leader in the development of radio-electronic systems for aerospace, military and marine equipment. Self-defense air defense system supplied European company M.B.D.A.

The multinational format of the project does not confuse the French at all - a single European space with a single currency, living according to uniform laws and rules. General goals and objectives. A fleet built according to uniform NATO standards.

But, what is most surprising, the project is not limited to the European continent: the threads of this story stretch far to the east, to South Korean Gyeongsangnam-do. To where the STX Corporation headquarters is located.

The Mistrals for the French Navy were costed according to the following scheme: the UDC hull was ultimately formed from two large sections - bow and stern. The stern and superstructure of the Mistral was built at DCNS's own facilities with the participation of many subcontractors: the skeleton of the stationary ship was regularly towed from one French shipyard to another, where it was gradually supplied with equipment.

The main part of the assembly work was carried out in Brest; the Rolls-Royce Memade engines and steering columns were installed in Lorient. The final saturation of the finished section of the hull, installation of electronics and radio systems was carried out by specialists shipyard in Toulon. In total, DCNS accounted for about 60% of the work performed.

The bow of an amphibious helicopter carrier was built in Saint-Nazaire, at the famous shipyard "Chantiers de l'Atlantique", which at that time belonged to the French industrial giant Alstom. This place became the cradle for the most impressive projects in the field of large-tonnage shipbuilding - the legendary liner Queen Mary 2 set off from here. Here, in the 70s, a series of Batillus-type supertankers with a deadweight of more than half a million tons were built! The nasal parts of each of them were also assembled here.

In 2006, the Chantiers de l'Atlantic shipyard became the property of the Norwegian industrial group Aker Yards. However, soon, in 2009, the shipyard, like the entire Aker Yards group, was absorbed by the South Korean corporation STX. The third Mistral-class ship, Dixmude (L9015), was already being completed by the Koreans.

The Mistral helicopter carriers were built by the whole world. France with the participation of Poland, Sweden, Finland... - the entire European Union is assembled! At French and South Korean shipyards. Despite such a complex industrial chain and great amount foreign contractors, the new UDCs, in general, met the expectations of the French Navy command - a universal and relatively cheap means for delivering humanitarian aid and expeditionary units to the countries of Africa and the Middle East.

For example, the Diximude UDC took part in Operation Serval (suppression of unrest in Mali, 2013), delivering units of the 92nd Infantry Regiment from France to the African continent.

"Mistral" - a ship without a homeland

With the French Mistrals, everything is extremely obvious - the ships were built through the joint efforts of partner countries. The close economic, political and military ties between the countries of the Eurozone and even the distant, but in fact close, Republic of Korea are beyond doubt. United international standards And multinational companies erasing the borders of states, uniting under their leadership the scientific and industrial potential of many countries.

But where and how are the UDC “Vladivostok” and “Sevastopol” - two amphibious helicopter carriers intended for the Russian Navy - being built?

According to the contract, which has become the largest military deal between Russia and Western countries since the end of World War II, in 2014 and 2015, the Russian Navy’s naval fleet should be replenished with two imported Russian-French-built UDCs. We quickly moved from words to action:

On February 1, 2012, cutting of metal for the first ship, called Vladivostok, began in Saint-Nazaire. On October 1 of the same year, work began at the Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg - according to the contract, domestic shipbuilders must build 20% of the aft sections of the helicopter carrier.

It is not difficult to guess that the general contractor was the South Korean STX - it is she, with the support of the French defense company DCNS and a number of third-party suppliers, that is building helicopter carriers for the Russian Navy at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire.

On June 26, 2013, the Baltic Shipyard completed the planned scope of work on time, launching the stern of the new Mistral - a month later, the stern section was safely delivered to Saint-Nazaire for subsequent docking with the main part of the ship.

On October 15, 2013, the Vladivostok landing ship was officially launched. After completing all work at the French shipyard, it will move to the outfitting wall of the Severnaya Verf plant (St. Petersburg) for final saturation with domestic equipment.

It is expected that the new helicopter carrier will enter service with the Russian Navy at the end of 2014 - beginning of 2015. Less than three years from the date of bookmarking! An unprecedented result for domestic shipbuilding, where one frigate can be built over the course of 8 years.

The second ship of the “Russian series” - “Sevastopol” - was laid down on June 18, 2013. It will be built according to a similar scheme, with the only difference that the Baltic Shipyard will provide the construction of 40% of the UDC hull. The ship should enter service before the end of 2015.

Also, the agreement between Russia and France includes options for the construction of the third and fourth helicopter carrier under license at its own industrial facilities - it is assumed that for these purposes a new shipyard will be built on the island. Kotlin. But, as it became known at the end of 2012, plans to exercise these options were postponed from 2013 to 2016, which gives the whole story a hazy shade of uncertainty.

Among the suppliers and contractors in the global industrial chain are:: Russian United shipbuilding corporation(USC), the state defense company DCNS, the Chantiers de l'Atlantic shipyard of the South Korean company STX, the Finnish Wärtsilä and the Swedish division of Rolls-Royce (power plants and propulsion). The participation of Thales Group is extremely important - the equipment and systems supplied by this company are of the greatest interest to the Russian military-industrial complex (primarily the Zenit-9 combat information and control system).

They also promise to equip the Russian helicopter carrier with Vampir-NG infrared search and targeting systems from the French company Sagem. Despite the abundance of foreign equipment, the French promise to carry out complete Russification of all ship systems in order to avoid any problems during its operation in the Russian Navy.

The air group will be represented by domestic Ka-29 transport and combat helicopters and attack vehicles. The first of the Russian Mistrals will have to be equipped with French-made high-speed boats - the layout and dimensions of the docking chamber were initially designed for the dimensions of NATO equipment. Therefore, the effective placement of existing landing craft inside the Mistral Russian production does not seem possible. However, this is not the biggest problem, moreover, it was successfully resolved.

Counting the number of subcontractors who took part in the creation of a helicopter carrier for the Russian Navy, one can sing “Internationale” - the French landing ship turned out to be “ Noah's Ark", incorporating technologies and participants from all over the world. And we have to admit: the project was a 100% success.

Despite angry accusations of “waste” public funds, "Mistrals" turned out to be VERY cheap. 600 million euros ($800 million) for each combat unit - even taking into account all the additional procedures associated with fine-tuning the ship's systems, testing it and eliminating identified deficiencies - the cost of the Mistral will not exceed a billion dollars. This is incredibly high from the point of view of the average Russian. But mere pennies by the standards of modern shipbuilding.

800 million dollars - even a normal destroyer cannot be built for that kind of money now. American ones cost the Pentagon 1.8-2 billion dollars apiece. The cost of a small Russian one, according to the Main Command of the Navy, can reach 560 million dollars (18 billion rubles)!

In this case, we have a large helicopter carrier with a displacement of 20 thousand tons. Moreover, built in an extremely short time, the result is obvious, and it is difficult to notice any corruption component here. It is not possible to build something similar for a lower price.

"Mistral" - operating features

Fears that the Mistral will not be able to operate at temperatures below +7 degrees Celsius are completely unfounded.

Russia, along with Scandinavia and Canada, are undoubtedly the northernmost countries in the world. But let me ask you how this applies to Mistral? Nobody is talking about basing it in the Far North - Russia, fortunately, is monstrously large and we have enough other basing locations with more adequate natural and climatic conditions. Novorossiysk. The weather forecast for December 1 is plus 12°C. Subtropics.

Vladivostok is colder. Latitude is Crimean, longitude is Kolyma. However, even there the operation of the UDC should not encounter any critical difficulties - the operational zone Pacific Fleet includes the entire Asia-Pacific region and the Indian Ocean, where, as is known, the temperature rarely drops below +7° Celsius.

Mistral is not suitable for operations in the Arctic. But he simply has nothing to do there. But there is plenty to do in the Mediterranean and other southern seas.

Statements about the non-compliance of the infrastructure of the locations and the standards of domestic diesel fuel with European standards are not worth the candle. Mistral is not as big as it is imagined - for example, it is smaller nuclear cruiser"Peter the Great". The length of the helicopter carrier is only 35 meters greater than the length of the average BOD or destroyer. The empty displacement of this “ferry” with the unloaded air wing, boats, equipment, weapons and fuel reserves should not exceed 15 thousand tons.

UDC "Dixiemude" (L9015) compared with the frigate of the "Lafayette" class (full capacity 3600 tons)

The only problem may be related to the maintenance of Azipod-type rudder propellers. In principle, this question should be addressed to ship repair centers in the Baltic and the North, however, not so long ago plans were outlined for the construction of a large shipbuilding enterprise in the Far East in cooperation with South Korea - by the time the Mistrals arrive must be decided.

UDC "Mistral" it is half the size of Soviet aircraft-carrying cruisers - let's hope that it will not repeat their fate and will receive all the necessary coastal infrastructure on time.

As for the inconsistency of domestic brands and varieties of fuel and lubricants with high-tech Mistral engines... Who can you surprise now with “outlandish” imported equipment - Finnish diesel generators from the Värtislya company?

The most formidable accusations brought against the French “ferries” are their low combat potential and absolute uselessness within the framework of the defensive concept of using the Russian Navy. The "cabin carrier" itself needs high-quality cover from the sea and from the air and is not able to participate in naval battle. Full speed 18 knots. Instead of serious self-defense systems - MANPADS and machine guns. Powerful radar equipment? Sonar? Strike weapons? Anti-submarine missile torpedoes? None of this exists and cannot exist - that is why the price for such a large ship is so low. From the navy's point of view, the Mistral is an empty box. The presence of 16 helicopters no longer means anything in modern combat - the Ka-52 is not a competitor to a fighter-bomber.

But as soon as you open the news file for 2013 - where and what the Russian Navy is doing - everything immediately falls into place. “Mistral” is not suitable for combating the AUG of a “probable enemy”, but it ideally corresponds to the tasks of ensuring the presence of the Russian Navy in the vastness of the World Ocean. A large ship with a monumental appearance and modern design, capable of being “on the front line” for months - off the coast of Syria or wherever required. Comfortable quarters for a Marine battalion. Cargo deck for armored vehicles. Helicopters. If necessary, “humanitarian aid” can be delivered to allies - and to the most different ways. Non-version of the Soviet BDK!

Overall, the verdict is positive. The only truly worthwhile question is: could the Russian Navy do without purchasing these ships? Experts at various levels agree that the purchase of Mistrals is far from the most rational decision. We still have enough large landing craft from the “Soviet reserve”. New ones are being built - project 11711 “Ivan Gren”. But there is a critical shortage of warships of ranks I and II - cruisers, destroyers, frigates. So much so that we have to assemble a Mediterranean squadron from all four fleets.

Finally, if our specialists were so eager to get acquainted with “advanced” Western technologies, they could have purchased equipment that was more interesting than the French “ferry”. Even with the Zenit-9 BIUS and Vampir-NG IR sensors.

For example, it would be interesting to examine up close the Franco-Italian Horizon-class frigate (destroyer) - the most powerful and advanced air defense ship in the world after the British Daring. If the Horizon turns out to be too secretive, a non-nuclear Skopren-class submarine with a Stirling engine could be suitable as a “demonstrator” of new technologies. That is, look at something that we don’t have analogues yet. The French (DCNS) and the Spanish (Navantia) are happy to build such equipment for export: for the fleets of India, Malaysia, Brazil, Chile...

Alas, the interests of the sailors remained in the shadow of geopolitical intrigues. We chose . So take it quickly, without further ado! So far, the allocated funds have not gone offshore.

Moreover, the boat really doesn’t seem bad.